There exists an ever increasing demand for oil and gas production from offshore deep water sites. Traditional designs and construction techniques for offshore platforms, most of which have heretofore been constructed in relatively shallow waters, are not readily adaptable for use at very deep locations, for example sites where the water depth exceeds 1000 feet. While several deep water platform designs have been proposed, known designs are either very complicated, expensive, and/or difficult to construct.
Environmental forces, primarily winds, waves and currents can, at times, be very severe at an offshore location, particularly a deep water location which is unlikely to be near any sheltering land mass. Thus, any design for an offshore platform must be able to tolerate the full range of conditions likely to be encountered at the site.
Construction techniques useful at deep water sites are limited. Difficulty arises in bringing long prefabricated structures to a site, providing anchors at a desired seabed location, and anchoring the structures at great depth.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an offshore platform which is suitable for use at great depths.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an offshore deep water platform which is simple in design, and which is relatively easy and inexpensive to construct.